Biodiversity of the Kampar Peninsula Summary Report November 2016, RER Publication Series No. 1 2 THE RER – FFI PARTNERSHIP Crucial to the success of the ecosystem restoration programme is the support and collaboration of RER’s multiple stakeholders. Fauna & Flora International (FFI) is an international NGO established in 1903. FFI acts to conserve threatened species and ecosystems worldwide, choosing solutions that are sustainable, based on sound science and take into account human needs. As RER’s technical partner, FFI manages key elements of the project related to biodiversity, climate and communities. Images All images in this report are copyright of RER and FFI. No reproduction is permitted without prior expressed permission. RER Publication Series The Riau Ecosystem Restoration programme will regularly publish reports, documents and other publications. The purpose of this publication series is to make information and results on the programme available to the wider public. This report is part of the RER Publication Series, and all rights are exerted by the APRIL Group. CITATION: RER-FFI (2016). Biodiversity of the Kampar Peninsula – Summary Report. RER Publication No. 1. Jakarta Table of contents Foreword 3 Acknowledgements 4 Report Objectives 5 Executive Summary 6 Introduction 7 Overview 8 Methodologies 10 Plants 11 Mammals 13 Birds 16 Reptiles & Amphibians 18 Summary 20 List of References 21 1 2 Serkap river. Credit: Prayitno Goenarto FOREWORD The Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER) programme in Riau province, Sumatra is the largest peatland restoration programme to be funded by the private sector in Southeast Asia, encompassing a total area of 149,807 hectares. RER is comprised of five former logging concessions – four on the Kampar peninsula and one on Padang island – that are now managed as ecosystem restoration concessions under licence from the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Due to Kampar peninsula’s and Padang island’s isolated location in central Sumatra and status as a production forest area, few studies have documented their biodiversity value until now. This report focuses on establishing a biodiversity baseline for the RER concessions on the Kampar peninsula. Finding, watching, photographing, identifying and reporting on the plant and animal species in an area are fundamental to understanding how an ecosystem functions and what management steps are needed for its conservation. Within this extraordinary landscape, RER’s partner, Fauna & Flora International (FFI), has thus far identified 220 species of bird, 152 species of plant, 72 mammals, and 75 amphibians and reptiles. The initial survey results hint at the enormous potential for further interesting discoveries. Regrettably, Sumatra’s fragile and unique peat swamp ecosystems have long been exposed to numerous threats in the shape of uncontrolled drainage, deforestation and forest encroachment due to agricultural expansion. Encroachment is often compounded by other problems, such as illegal logging, ‘slash-and-burn’ land clearance, and wildlife poaching. In the case of the Kampar peninsula, these problems were becoming entrenched due to economic and political interests associated with the use of forest resources until RER began assuming management responsibility in 2013. Today, as we move towords an integrated landscape approach that combines production with conservation, restoration and community empowerment, the Kampar peninsula is being responsibly managed, in an effort to protect natural capital and the biodiversity and ecosystem services on which we all depend. This Summary Report is the first in a planned series of reports that will be produced as RER’s peatland restoration programme matures and more technical data is gathered by RER partners, scientists and other related stakeholders. We hope that this report will reassure readers that through innovative, collaborative and science- based efforts that go beyond protection and production, wise-use management of a peatland landscape can be achieved. Sincerely, Dr Tony Whitten Fauna & Flora International Regional Director, Asia-Pacific 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Peat swamp forest is a unique ecosystem that is most extensive in Southeast Asia, yet its diversity value remains poorly understood. These forests contain distinct plant communities, provide habitat for a wide array of animals, and are important for the conservation of threatened species. The information presented here is the result of a phenomenal effort by the FFI Indonesia Programme field survey team. They endured one of the most physically challenging and inhospitable environments on this planet, the peat swamp forests of Sumatra. Their untiring efforts, tenacity and sheer commitment to this task deserve deep appreciation and admiration. This report is dedicated to each and every member of the field teams. Achmad Alifianto, Achmad Ridha Junaid, Ade Kusuma Sumantri, Ady Kristanto, Ahmad Dani, Alya Faryanti Purbahapsari, Andi Arya Fajar Art C., Andri Irawan, Arief Hamidi, Donny Gunaryadi, Eka Kurnia P., Fazlurrahman Shomat, Ganjar Cahyadi, Husnul Fikri, Irene Margareth R.P., Mahendra Primajati, Nugraha Putra Maulana, Ripin, Ryan Avriandy, Safrina Ayu, Trisnawati, Sephy Noerfahmy. 4 REPORT OBJECTIVES This first-ever species inventory of the peat swamp forests of the Kampar peninsula is conducted under the Riau Ecosystem Restoration Programme (RER). Established by Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) in 2013, RER’s multi-year programme uses an integrated landscape-level approach to protect, assess, restore and manage the Kampar peninsula. The primary aim of RER is to restore previously degraded peatland forests and generate multiple ecosystem benefits through broad stakeholder and community collaboration. The aim of this report is to present a summary of the first documented inventory of the species biodiversity of the RER concessions on the Kampar peninsula, one of the last remaining peat swamp forests in eastern Sumatra. This terrestrial biodiversity baseline (plants, mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles) will inform future management, restoration and monitoring efforts. This Summary Report presents only the findings from the inventory of species. It does not describe the habitat types of the Kampar peninsula. Black-and-Yellow Broadbill. Credit: RER/FFI 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The species inventory of the Kampar peninsula was teysmanniana is also confined to peat swamp forests, conducted from May to December 2015. It covered and is endemic to Sumatra. It is also commercially woody and non-woody plant species, and mammal, harvested. Both are listed as Critically Endangered due bird, reptile and amphibian species. Aquatic animals to habitat loss. and plants are not covered in this inventory. The Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae and the The inventory was conducted by FFI field teams, Sunda Pangolin Manis javanica are listed as Critically and covered three of four Ecosystem Restoration Endangered due to habitat loss and trade in body Concessions (ERCs) licensed to APRIL in the Kampar parts. The Sumatran Tiger is found only on Sumatra. peninsula by the Indonesian Ministry of Environment The Painted Terrapin Batagur borneoensis uses both and Forestry. The concessions included in this Report freshwater and estuarine habitats, nesting on the are PT Gemilang Cipta Nusantara, PT Sinar Mutiara coast. It is listed as Critically Endangered due to egg Nusantara, and PT The Best One UniTimber. PT Global harvesting and loss of its freshwater habitats. Alam Nusantara will be inventoried in 2017. The key findings of the inventory are: The total area under the Riau Ecosystem Restoration • The peat swamp forests of the Kampar peninsula (RER) programme is 150,000 ha, 130,000 ha of which support typical and representative terrestrial plant is on the Kampar peninsula, and 20,000 ha on Padang and animal species of this ecosystem. Island. This inventory covers 92,507 ha, approximately • Three mega-fauna species of Sumatra - Elephant, 70% ofthe RER area on the Kampar peninsula. Rhinoceros and Tapir - were not recorded. Only the Tiger is present. Five Critically Endangered species are present • 44 species present are listed on the IUCN Red List as within the study area: two tree species (both Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. Dipterocarpaceae) and two mammals were recorded • The majority of threatened species are closely during these surveys, and one reptile was recorded by associated, or completely confined to, mixed swamp Tropenbos. forest. • The Kampar peninsula is used by migratory birds. The Light Red Meranti, or Meranti Bakau Shorea • New distributional records were obtained for platycarpa, is confined to peat swamp forests, is Bonaparte’s Nightjar Caprimulgus concretus, Black limited to the Malay peninsula and Sumatra, and is Partridge Melanoperdix nigra and Hylarana rawa, a a commercial timber species. The Resak Paya Vatica recently described endemic frog. IUCN RED LIST SPECIES IN RER Total CR EN VU Plants 152 2 3 3 Mammals 70 2 4 10 Birds 220 0 3 7 Amphibians/Reptiles 107 1 4 5 Total 549 5 14 25 CR: Critically Endangered, EN: Endangered, VU: Vulnerable 6 INTRODUCTION APRIL has made a US$100 million commitment to biological diversity of its peat swamp forest, rivers and support biodiversity conservation and community lakes. A comprehensive understanding of its ecological development through Ecosystem Restoration licenses. character is a prerequisite to managing the peninsula The RER programme aims to revive the landscape,